Hand manipulable duplicator



A. J. HEYER EIAL HAND MANIPULABLE DUPLICATOR March 24, 1953 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 Filed June .7 28 1950 INVENTORS. ArZ/zur J Heyer BY ficu zc'L s' 16'. Moore March 1953 A. .1. HEIYER EIAL 2,632,387 HANlj MANIPULABLE DUPLICATOR Filed June 28, 1950 Y 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 ii'allIrlrIiiw Patented Mar. 24, 1953 HAND MANIPULABLE DUPLICATOR Arthur J. Heyer, Oak Park, and Francis K. Moore,

Chicago, 111., assignors to The Heyer Corporation, Chicago, IlL, a corporation of Illinois Application June 28, 1950, Serial No. 170,806

Claims. (Cl. 101-131) This invention relates to hand manipulable duplicators adapted for printing addresses or short messages from an appropriate master carried by the duplicator. The addresses to be imprinted may be arranged in consecutive order on an elongated tape-like paper master although the device is adapted also to hold a relatively short master that bears an address or a short message. The improved duplicator is of the fluid or spirit type, that is, the masters are in reverse or mirror type or script, the typing or writing being formed on the master by use of a hectographic carbon sheet the coated surface of which is placed in contact with the side of the master opposite the side on which the address or message is initially typed or written whereby the address or message in hectographic ink, when pressed into contact with the copy sheet that has been moistened with a solvent, will provide a copy. The solvent referred to usually is an alcohol or alcohol solution.

In spirit duplicators, the fluid used in moistening the copy sheets prior to each imprinting or duplicator operation should be applied uniformly to the surface of a copy sheet if uniform reproduction is to be obtained and since the fluid evaporates rapidly and also tends to move quickly by capillary action into the body of the copy sheets, it is necessary that the imprinting operation be performed promptly after the moistening operation if use of excessive moistening fluid is to be avoided and satisfactory results are to be obtained. Where the imprinting operation can be effected immediately following the moistening operation, a minimum quantity of fluid applied to the surface of the copy sheet only is required in obtaining bright reproduction. Use of excessive fluid. on the copy sheet not only is objectionable from the standpoint of economy but more ink is removed from the master at each imprinting operation where the copy sheets are unduly moistened and thus the period of usefulness of the master is reduced and its characters are likely to become smudged or blurred, thereafter producing copies that are less legible.

The principal object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a hand manipulable duplicator provided with a moisture applying member so related to a master carrying platen that the requisite amount of fluid can be applied to the surface of a copy sheet by a stroke of the member over the sheet in one direction followed immediately by the application of the master to the moistened surface of the sheet.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hand manipulable duplicator provided with a moistener member so located with respect to a supported master that upon completion of each moistening operation, a mere rocking or rolling action of the duplicator about the paper contacting portion of the moistener member effects application of the master to the moistened surface of the sheet thereby securing proper registration of the master with the moistened area without conscious effort or attention with respect thereto on the part of the operator and'without lifting the duplicator from the copy sheet, thereby expediting the completion of the duplicating operation.

Another object of the invention is to'provide a duplicator of the character mentioned which, in addition. to providing means for carrying an elongate master provided with a relatively large number of names and addresses of customers, club members, patrons or the like which may be reproduced in succession after moving them consecutively into position upon a platen, is also provided with means for conveniently attaching a relatively short master to the platen which may bear an address, a message, shipping instructions or the like. By reason of the adaptability of the duplicator to the use of masters of the type last mentioned, the improved device, in addition to being useful in imprinting addresses on post cards, envelopes or the like is of substantial convenience in shipping rooms of factories in stamping the name and address of a consignee on multiple package shipments of merchandise, for example.

Other objects of the invention relate to various features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be apparent from the consideration of the following specification and accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a hand manipulable duplicator embodying the present improvements;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the duplicator;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the duplicator showing the side thereof not shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the duplicator witha hinged wall of the casing shown in raised position;

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of a moistener shown detached from the casing of the duplicator;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 66 of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is an enlarged sectional view taken, for example, on line 1-1 of Fig. 3 and illustrating an elongate master in position;

Fig. 8 is a similar broken sectional view illustrating a short master clamped in position on the platen;

Fig. 9 is an end elevational view of the improved duplicator in preferred position for applying moisture to a copy sheet; and

Fig. 10 is a perspective view illustrating a convenientmode offapplying liquid to the moistener member.

In the drawing, the duplicator is shown as 10 comprising a casing preferably formed of sheet" metal and comprising end walls. llloand. .ll,.a.. relatively fixed side wall l2 secured, as by spot welding, to the walls In and! Landfahinged wall:

I 3 which enables the sametoib'eswung: tolthe open position as shown in Fig. 4. When'in'closed position, ears M at opposite sidesof the wall. I3" retain the same in closed position by snap action. In Fig. 4, the casing is shown as providediwitha; pair of spools l5 and I6 removably mounted upon drive spindles I I, l 1 thatiare rotatable manually bymeans of knobs H3. .The knob operable spindles I! arecprovided.with5opposed lugs l9;.which .engageaintransverse. slots .in the. ends of the hollow spools whereby-when eitherknob is rotated, the corresponding spool likewise will -:be rotated; The opposite ends 0f'the:sp001s are carried'on spindles 20.- 20 and'contact springs 2zlsurrounding the respective spindles whereby :the': springs act" as'brakeswtending to holdthe spoolsagainst inadvertent rotation and loss of tension placed-'upona master tape carried by the spoolsj. The inner-"ends of the wires forming the carry aplaten 23the lower surface of which is convex'as shown in Fig. 8. The platen is secured to the end walls byany appropriate means such as screws 24. The side walls I2 and 13 are shown -as terminating above the adjacent longitudinal edges of the platen 23 to provide openings through which an elongate master 25, as shown Fig. 5;may pass from one spool intocontact with the exterior curved surface of the platen and thence into the' casing" to the other spool. 55,

Located adjacent vthe longitudinal edges of the platen 23 are rollers 26 which are attached to the respective end walls It and II by pivots'21. The master 25 contacts the rollers as 'shownin 'Fig. .7 which avoid the formation of sharp bends inthe'm'asteratthe' edges of the platen and facilitates the. advancement of the master over th'e'curved surface of theplaten'.

The master 25 preferably is of' paper and is adaptedtojhave' names and addresses typedor written thereon in'reverse or mirror characters in duplicating ink. The successive. addresses should be spaced a shortdistance apart, as for example, two or three typewriter spaces. .Viewing Fig. 7; it will be seen that by rotating one of theknobs. l8 ina... direction to wind upthe master, it can be drawn across the exteriorconvex .face. of the platen 23.for effecting location .ofaname and-address on the platen in duplicating position.

The. master preferably is of a length adapting it to carry a relatively large number of names and addresses which, by operating one knob or the other, may be advanced consecutively, if desired, to duplicating position on the platen whereby a large number of cards, envelopes or the like may be addressed rapidly in succession.

The duplicator is providedwith a moistening device adapted to apply moisture to the surface of the copy sheet which may be a card, envelope, or the like prior to the imprinting or duplicatingoperation. The preferred form of the moistening device is shown in Figs. 5 and 6 and, as

.' willibe. seen,.comprises a holder or cartridge indicated-generally by the numeral 28 for holding a felt wick or the like 29. As shown in Figs. 5

and..6,. thercartridge is formed of a pair of sheet metal plates 30 and 3| which may be fastened together in spaced apart relation by ears 32 with the wick 29 clamped between the plates. At the lowerend, the plate 30 is. directed to the-right as viewedin Fig.- 6 at approximately 45 to form a lip 33. The upperend. of the member. 3ll.ex-. tends above the corresponding end of member 3| whereby there is provided a transverse opening 34 in the upper end of the cartridge into which fluid may bepoured as from a suitable. container 35 as shown in Fig. 10. Thelower. end-of the wick 29 which is shown as-being formed of. two thicknesses of felt projectsbeyondthelip33 to provide a copy sheet contacting. portion which applies moisture to the copy: sheet during-the moistening operation. The-plate 3l*of the cartridge is provided with .an undercut stud 36.-and also a knurled. nut 31' carried by a'screw-38 which .is secured to the casing wall 31:. Stud .36 and clamp nut 3'! are arranged inthevertical center line of the vwall'iiL-and are adapted.to:be receivedwithin an openslot 39 provided in the casing wall I 2. Asviewed in. Fig. 7, it willbe seen that the moistener cartridgecan be slid upwardly into the interior, of the casing to-cause a lower stop flange 49 to engage the lower edge of thewall l2 and that'upontightening the nut 31, the moistener will be retained in'the properly aligned position illustrated iniFig. '7, in whichthe exposed end of the wick 29 is parallel with the platen 23. The cartridge canreadily be removed for supplying liquid to'the cartridgezwhendesired.

Assuming that the operator has adjusted the master 25 to position a selected address over the platen 23 and that the wickhas been, suitably supplied with fluid, he canhold' the duplicator in'onehand, position it' as indicated in Fig; 9 with the .end portion of the wick 29 upon a" copy sheet 4| which should 'rest' upon a suitable, smooth support and draw it toward himor to'tl'ie right as viewed in Fig. 9 to apply moisture to an adequate area of the copy sheet, whereupon, without lifting the duplicator from the sheet, he can roll it or tilt it in the opposite direction about the lower enclof the moistener as a fulcrum to cause the platen to roll the working portion of the master into contact with the moistened portion of the copy sheet. It will be seen 'that'the duplicating operation can quickly be performed by merely drawing the duplicator while in the tilted position of Fig. 9 toward the operator. and then rolling it upon the platen in the opposite direction. This arrangement avoids any conscious effort .on the part of theoperator. to procure registration of the master portion on the platen with the moistened surfaceof the copy sheet. and proper alignment of theimprinted matter on the copy sheet can readily be obtained.

The projecting end of the moistener wick 29 spaces the duplicator sufficiently above the copy sheet during moistening operations as to avoid contact of the master with the copy sheet during the moistening operation, thus protecting the master against smudging and smearing which would occur should the characters on the master be drawn into contact with the moistened surface of the copy sheet. The exposed end portion of the wick is held in a laterally off-set relation with respect to the adjacent wall l2 of the casin and terminates in a plane that is substantially tangent to the adiacent longitudinal edge of the curved face of the platen and hence as the duplicator is rocked counter-clockwise from the moistening position shown in .Fig. 9, the adjacent edge of the convex face of theplaten will be brought into contact with the copy sheet whereby the entire convex face of the platen can roll on the copy sheet in pressing the master into uniform contact with the moistened area. Since the moistening and imprinting operations can be performed in rapid succession, a minimum quantity of fluid need be applied to the surface of the copy sheet, thus economizing on the use of the fluid and, since the imprinting operation can be effected immediately following the moistening operation without moving the duplicator from the copy sheet, the imprinting operation can be accomplished before any substantial evaporation of the fluid from the co y sheet has occurred or before substantial portions of the applied liouid has had time to pass into the copy sheet by capillary action.

For the purpose of enabling the duplicator to be used in the manner of a hand stamp for imprinting a particular address or message a number of times that does not appear on an elongated master. means are provided for adapting the duplicator to the use of relatively short masters such as is indicated at 42 in Fig. 8. Such a short master may be pre ared in a manner similar to that above described and, as will be seen, extends across the curved surface of the platen 23 and has one end anchored by a clamp member 43 and the other end secured by a wire clamping member M. wh ch is carried by the hinged casing member l3. The clamp 43 is located above the platen and is pivotallv secured to the end plates 12 and I3 by means of pivot members 45 which pro ect throu h openin s provided in t e plates I 0 and I I. Springs 46 encircle the pivotal projections 45 within the casing. one end of each of which bears against the upper surface of the clam 43 while the op osite ends of the springs extend into contact with suitable sup orts such as the iournals for the spindles of the lower s ool, as shown in the particular construction illustrated.

A stop or margin bar is provided for cooperation with the clamp 43 for arresting inward movement of an end portion of a short master 42 in proper position. In the structure illustrated, a margin bar 4'1 is shown as formed integrally with the upper face of the platen memher and against which an end of a short master is adapted to be placed in abutting contact when the clam 43 has been raised manually by means of a finger piece 48 that projects throu h a slot 49 in the end wall It]. Release of the finger piece permits the clamp to engage the inserted master adjacent the end thereof after which t e master can be drawn across the convex face of the platen and secured at the other end by a clamp 44 secured to the hinge wall l3. A spring 50 (see Fig. 4 (presses the transverse portion 44a of the bail like clamp into contact with the lower edge portion of the wall [3 and permit the clamp to be moved away from the wall for insertion of the end of the master into clamped relation on a master as shown in Fig. 8. The master 42 should have the copyable matter so arranged thereon as to be disposed between the longitudinal edges of the platen when the master is in use whereby the copies can be made by applying liquid to the copy sheet, whether it be a shipping label, tag, package, or other article, and then by rolling the master into contact with the moistened area as above described. A short master 42 may be used to advantage in shipping rooms for directing a number of packages tothe same consignee, as a substitute for a rubber stamp, but with the advantage that such a master can be made in a few seconds time at practically no cost and can be saved, if desired, for re-use since a properly made master of the type under consideration will usually provide over a hundred legible copies. Where a shipping clerk has available a number of such masters bearing names and addresses of regular customers, it requires but a few seconds time to place a master in position on the duplicator for imprinting the address on the packages constituting a shipment, as mentioned above.

The foregoing description of the improvements are believed suflicient to give a clear understanding of the structure of the duplicator and of some of its uses. The location of the liquid applying portion of the r'noistener, with respect to the platen, as described and illustrated, is important since an operator by a simple wiping action of the moistener along the copy sheet in one direction can moisten an area at least as wide as the master and by merely rocking the duplicator in the opposite direction can move the master on the platen into contact with the moistened area in making the copy. Use of one hand only is required in the moistening and imprinting operations which leaves the other hand free for handling the copy sheets.

While a preferred form of the hand manipulable duplicator has been shown and described for illustrative purposes, various changes in the details of construction may be made within the scope of the invention defined by the following claims.

We claim:

1. A hand manipulable duplicator of the spirit type comprising a casing provided with end walls, a platen provided with a convex lowersurface secured to the lower ends of said end walls and upon which the duplicator can be rocked manually in pressing the portion of a master thereon into rolling contact with a copy sheet, said casing being provided with side walls having openings therein along the longitudinal edges of the platen through which the opposed ends of the said master on the platen may pass to the interior of the casing, means within the casing for engaging said ends for maintaining the mase ter in taut relation with respect to the platen, and a copy sheet moistening member projecting at the lower portion thereof through one of said openings and terminating at the lower end parallel with and spaced laterally from the adjacent convex portion of the platen and at an elevation above the same when the duplicator is in a vertical position whereby when the duplicator has been tilt d from said vertical position to an inclined position wherein the said end of the moistener member is lowermost the said 7, end ofr thee moistening, memberiprovidess asupportxfor". the; duplicator; that spaces-.the platen andthe portion of the master thereon above :the copy-.- sheet as. the duplicator is moved in said inclined .positionparallel' with the copy sheet for applying moisture to the same.

. 2s A hand manipulable duplicator of the spirit type-comprising a casing provided'with end'walls, a; platenprovided with a convex lower surface secured to the lower ends of said end walls and upon which the duplicator can. be rocked manually in pressing the portion of a master thereon into rolling contact with acopy sheet, said casing ;being provided with side walls having openings along ,the longitudinal edges of the platen through which theopposedends of the saidlmaster on the platenmay-pass to the interiorrof. the: casing, meanswithin the casing forpengaging said ends formaintaining the master-initaut relation with respect to the platen, and'a, moistener member secured to a side of the casing and provided with a copy sheet contactableportion disposed parallel with the platen and located at anelevation above the same when the" duplicator is in an upright position and projecting laterally from the-casing a distance torspace theplaten' from an adjacent copy sheet as the duplicator in tilted relation is drawn over a copy sheet with said portion of the moistener incontact'with the copy sheet during a moistening operation:

3. A-hand-manipulable duplicator of the spirit type comprising acasing provided with end walls, a: platen provided with aconvex lower surface secured to the lower ends of said end walls and upon: which the' duplicator 'canbe rocked manually in pressingthe portionpof a master thereon: into rolling contactwith a' copy sheet, said casing being" provided with side walls terminating above said platen to provide openings through which the opposed ends of the'said master on the platen may pass to the interior of the casing, means withinthe casing for engaging" said ends for maintaining the master in taut relation with respect to the platen, and a moistener membermounted upon said casing for applying liquid to a copy sheet comprising a copy sheet contactable portion located at an elevation above said platen and extending laterally of the casing a distance whereby tilting of the duplicator in one direction to an angle of approximately 45 degrees with respectito a subjacenteopy sheet moves saidportion of the said moistener-member'into: contact with the copy sheet" and: elevates the platen above the copy sheetand enables the moistener member to apply moistureztothe sheet as theduplicator. is moved in a direction parallel with the copy sheet and from which tilted position the duplicator can be rocked in the opposite direction to cause the platen to move intoengagement with the moistened area of the'copy sheet and to press said contacting portionof the master into printing relation with said moistened area of the copy sheet.

43A handmanipulable duplicator comprising a casing provided with end walls, a platen disposed between and secured to the lower ends of said end-walls and provided with a convex lowersurface; said casing being provided with front and rear walls terminating above the platen to provide openings for the passing into and egressfrom the casing of' an elongatemaster extendingover the'convex surface of the'platen, rotatable'spoolsin the casing upon which the portions of the'master extending into the casing 'are; adapted to be,- wound,-.and a copy sheet moistener member removably secured within the casing and provided with. a copy sheet contact-v ing portion extending through one of said openings to the exterior of the casing and extending laterally to a position whereby the duplicator can be tilted to a position to cause said end portion of the moistener member to contactv a subjacent copy sheet while the platen is elevated above the copy sheetfor avoiding contact of the master with the moistened area of the copy sheet formed bymoving the duplicator in said inclined position with said end of the moistener member in contact with the copy sheet.

5. A hand manipulable duplicator comprising a casing provided with end walls, a platen ex-. tendingtransverselybetween thelower ends of said end walls and secured thereto, said platen being provided with a convex lower surface, said casing being provided with front and rear walls provided with openings above the platen for accommodating portions of an elongate master passing over said convex surface of the platen to the interior of the casing, and a moistener member in the casing comprising a wick the lower portion of which extends outwardly of the casing through one of said openings and'terminates in a copy sheet contacting end adapted for wiping contact with a sub'jaoent copy sheet for applying moisture thereto as the duplicator, in tilted relation, is moved over the copy sheet.

6. A hand manipulable duplicator comprising a casing provided with end walls, a platen ex-' tending transversely between the lower ends of said end walls and secured thereto; said platen being provided with a convex lower surface, said casing being provided with front and rear walls provided with openings above the platen for accommodating portions of an elongate master passing over said convex surface of the platen to the interior of the casing, and a moistener member within the casing comprising a wick the'lower end portion of which extends outwardly of the casing through one of said openings, and an angularly disposed backing memberfor said portion of the wick for holding the same in a position wherein said portion extends laterally beyond the plane of the adjacent wall to enable the lower end of said portion to be drawn in wiping contact with a subjacent copy sheet for applying moisture thereto.

'7. A hand manipulable duplicator comprising a casing provided with end walls, a platen disposed between the lower ends of said endwalls and'provided with a lower convex surface across which a master is adapted to extend, means'for retaining a master in taut relationover said convex surface of the platen for rolling contact with a moistened surface of the copy sheet, and a moistener member carried by the casing and provided with an end portion for applying the fluid to a copy sheet by wiping contact therewith, said end portion of the moistener being of a width not less than the width of'the copyable matter on the master and located at an elevation above the platen and disposed in parallel, laterally offset relation with respect to the platen whereby upon moving the duplicator in one direction across a copy sheet with said end portion of the moistener member in contact with a subjacent copy sheet for moistening the same said end portion of the moistener member'constitutes a supporting fulcrum about which the duplicator can be rocked to move the portion of the master on the adjacent-longitudinal edge of the convex surface of the platen into contact with the moistened area of the copy sheet.

8. A hand manipulable duplicator comprising a casing provided with a platen at the lower end thereof, said platen having a convex surface over which a master is adapted to be held and pressed into rolling contact with a moistened area of a copy sheet by manual rocking action of the duplicator upon the platen, means for securing a master in contact with said convex surface of the platen, a moistener for applying liquid to the copy sheet comprising a wick holder secured to the casing and a wick member extending from the holder and provided with a copy sheet contacting end arranged parallel with the platen and disposed at an elevation above and laterally thereof whereby with the duplicator tilted in one direction to rest upon the wick end and moved in such tilted position along a copy sheet an area thereof can be moistened with which the master upon the platen will register upon tilting movement of the platen in the opposite direction.

9. A hand manipulable duplicator comprising a casing provided with a platen at the lower end having a convex lower surface over which a master can be held and pressed into rolling contact with a moistened area of a copy sheet by manual rocking movement of the duplicator upon the platen, means for attaching a master in position over said convex surface of the platen, and a moistening member having a copy sheet contacting portion disposed parallel with the platen at one side thereof and disposed in a plane substantially tangent to the adjacent longitudinal edge portion of the convex surface of the platen.

10. In a hand manipulable spirit duplicator, a casing constituting a hand grip by means of which the duplicator can be manipulated, said casing being provided with a platen having a convex surface at the lower end for supporting a working portion of a master in duplicating position, means for securing a master in duplicating position on said convex surface, the casing being provided with a transverse opening at one side thereof above the platen, and a moistening member removably mounted within the casing and comprising a wick and a supporting cartridge therefor removable through said opening, said cartridge being provided with a pair of wall members clamping the major portion of the wick therebetween, one end of said wick extending outwardly from the lower end of the cartridge and projecting through said opening in the casing to a position laterally of the casing to enable said end of the wick to be held in moistening contact with a copy sheet as the duplicator is moved over the sheet in a position of inclination wherein the platen is elevated from the sheet.

ARTHUR J. HE-YER. FRANCIS K. MOORE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 363,799 Cairns May 31, 1887 1,273,131 Barrett July 23, 1918 2,159,471 Christianson May 23, 1939 2,215,495 Berman Sept. 24, 1940 2,269,086 Morris Jan. 6, 1942 2273,816 Boekeloo Feb. 24, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 313,687 Great Britain June 20, 1929 

